LITMIR.BIZ

      Published by Good Press, 2019

       [email protected]

      EAN 4064066236427

Table of Contents

       Preface.

       Epitaphs on Tradesmen.

       Typographical Epitaphs.

       Good and Faithful Servants.

       Epitaphs on Soldiers and Sailors.

       Epitaphs on Musicians and Actors.

       Epitaphs on Sportsmen.

       Bacchanalian Epitaphs.

       Epitaphs on Parish Clerks and Sextons.

       Punning Epitaphs.

       Manxland Epitaphs.

       Epitaphs on Notable Persons.

       Miscellaneous Epitaphs.

Preface.

       Table of Contents

      This work first appeared in 1883 and quickly passed out of print. Some important additions are made in the present volume. It is hoped that in its new form the book may find favour with the public and the press.

      William Andrews.

      The Hull Press,

       May Day, 1899.

      CURIOUS EPITAPHS.

Epitaphs on Tradesmen.

       Table of Contents

      Many interesting epitaphs have been placed to the memory of tradesmen. Often they are not of an elevating character, nor highly poetical, but they display the whims and oddities of men. We will first present a few relating to the watch and clock-making trade. The first specimen is from Lydford churchyard, on the borders of Dartmoor:—

      Here lies, in horizontal position,

       the outside case of

       George Routleigh, Watchmaker;

       Whose abilities in that line were an honour

       to his profession.

       Integrity was the Mainspring, and prudence the

       Regulator,

       of all the actions of his life.

       Humane, generous, and liberal,

       his Hand never stopped

       till he had relieved distress.

       So nicely regulated were all his motions, that he never went wrong, except when set a-going by people who did not know his Key; even then he was easily set right again. He had the art of disposing his time so well, that his hours glided away in one continual round of pleasure and delight, until an unlucky minute put a period to his existence. He departed this life Nov. 14, 1802, aged 57: wound up, in hopes of being taken in hand by his Maker; and of being thoroughly cleaned, repaired, and set a-going in the world to come.

      In the churchyard of Uttoxeter, a monument is placed to the memory of Joseph Slater, who died November 21st, 1822, aged 49 years:—

      Our next is from Berkeley, Gloucestershire:—

      The following is from Bolsover churchyard, Derbyshire:—

      Here

       lies, in a horizontal position, the outside

       case of

       Thomas Hinde,

       Clock and Watch-maker,

       Who departed this life, wound up in hope of

       being taken in hand by his Maker, and being

       thoroughly cleaned, repaired, and set a-going

       in the world to come,

       On the 15th of August, 1836,

       In the 19th year of his age.

      Respecting the next example, Mr. Edward Walford, M.A., wrote to the Times as follows: Close to the south-western corner of the parish churchyard of Hampstead there has long stood a square tomb, with a scarcely decipherable inscription, to the memory of a man of science of the last century, whose name is connected with the history of practical navigation. The tomb, having stood there for more than a century, had become somewhat dilapidated, and has lately undergone a careful restoration at the cost and under the supervision of the Company of Clock-makers, and the fact is recorded in large characters on the upper face. The tops of the upright iron railings which surround the tomb have been gilt, and the restored inscription runs as follows:—

      In memory of Mr. John Harrison, late of Red Lion-square, London, inventor of the time-keeper for ascertaining the longitude at sea. He was born at Foulby, in the county of York, and was the son of a builder of that place, who brought him up to the same profession. Before he attained the age of 21, he, without any instruction, employed himself in cleaning and repairing clocks and watches, and made a few of the former, chiefly of wood. At the age of 25 he employed his whole time in chronometrical improvements. He was the inventor of the gridiron pendulum, and the method of preventing the effects of heat and cold upon time-keepers by two bars fixed together; he introduced the secondary spring, to keep them going while winding up, and was the

Скачать книгу